This is a figure skating blog. It covers a big part of the major figure skating's competitions and gives technical explanations and focuses on athletes.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Up close: Finnstep

As the Finnstep is the pattern dance of
the Olympic season for the short dance, I thought it was my duty to
study it. From what we saw from these past seasons, the level dancers
receive for their pattern sequence is what defines the ranking of the
short dances. And with the introduction of the key points, steps and
turns that needs to be executed in perfect timing, even a flat edge
can bring you down.

The Finnstep is a quickstep dance
invented by Finnish dancers Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko. They
performed it for the first time during 1995 European Championships as
a part of their Original Dance.

Later, it turned into a Compulsory
dance, but was used only twice: during 2009 European Championships
(they were held in Finland, indeed) and 2009 Four Continents
Championships.

Here is a list of youtube video links
of those Compulsory dances performed by skaters actually competing
(and scores they had received):

For all other team this dance will need
to be learnt for the first time (except for fews, like Evan Bates or Paul Poirier who performed it with other partners).

For better understanding the structure of the pattern and where key points (that will determine the level of the sequence) I have made the video that appears below (check out myyoutube channel!) that shows the sequences performed by Meryl Davis and Charlie White from 2009 Four Continents.

The pattern is split into two sections that need to be performed one right after the other. The first sequence is a promenade and covers the hole lenght of the rink. The second section is more complex with few Chocktaws and twizzles and a lot of edge changes.

SEQUENCE 1, KEY POINT 1 (XB-RF, XB-LF, LFO Tw1 1/2)

The first key point of the first sequence consist in a right foot cross behind and a left foot cross behind (steps 1 and 4*) and one and a half twizzle by the lady only (step 12*). The cross behind steps are not consequential but divided by a couple of hops that set the character of the dance. The twizzle must be a left forward outside edge.

SEQUENCE 1, KEY POINT 2 LADY (XB-LBO, XF-RBI, Tw1 1/2-RFO)

The second key point is composed by a left backward outside Cross behind and a right backward Cross forward (step 20*). Then, there is one and a half twizzle (step 21*) that must conclude with a right forward outside edge. This key point is performed by the lady only.

SEQUENCE 1, KEY POINT 3 MAN (XB-LFI, RFO/Sw3 RBI, Tw1 RBI)

The last key point of the first sequence refers to the man. He must do a left forward inside cross behind, then starting from a right forward outside edge do a swing three turn finishing on the right backward inside edge (step 20*). He then does a twizzle that ends with a right backward inside edge (step 21*).

This key point is performed by the lady. She has a left forward outside close chocktaw into a right backward inside to outside edge (step 32*). She the goes into a twizzle (step 33*) that must finish with a right forward inside edge in order to stop for the stationary steps.

This key point is performed by the man. He does the same swing Chocktaw (step 32*) as the lady, but then does a right backward inside into a left forward inside open Mohawk, a twizzle (step 33c*) and the right forward inside edge slide as the lady.

SEQUENCE 2, KEY POINT 3 (LFI XB-ClCho, RBO3-RFI Tw1 1/2)

The last key point is a sequence performed simultanously by the skaters. It starts with a left forward inside cross behind close Chocktaw (step 65*), continues with a three turn from a right backward outside to a right forward inside edge, and finishes with a twizzle (step 66*).

4 comments:

Thank You so much for this, I am right now trying to understand more of the Finnstep and your explanation surely will help a lot! Hope you don't mind if I translate some parts into spanish and share your video with the official spanish skating forum